Explosive projectile



Dec. 26, 1939. F. MILAVEC EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILE Filed May 5, 1938 PatenteuiDec. 26,1939

nmnosrva rnomoma Frank Milavec, Cleveland, Ohio Application May 5, 1938, Serial No. 206,247

2 Claims.

My invention relates to explosive projectiles or shells of the type especially adapted for anti-aircraft use.

The general object of the invention to provide a simply constructed compact eflicient explosive shell or projectile containing a plurality 'of auxiliary explosive members connected together by cables or chains and adapted when released tohave a rotary whirling movement and adapted to explode at a predetermined time after V is projected.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective shell of this character having certain details of structure and operation hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my'improved shell;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the four sections in the position they would assume after they have been projected from the shell and the cables unwound;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and I Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lower end of one of the explosive members showing the swivel connection with the end of the cable.

Referring now to the drawing I represents a steel casing forming the shell which as shown is of a cylindrical form to closely fit the boreof the anti-aircraft gun and adapted to be projected therefrom in the usual manner, in a rotary movement causedby the rifiing in the bore of the gun. This shell I has a flat closed lower end 2 and an open upper end 3 which is internally threaded as indicated at 4 and in which is screwed the nose cap 5, which is of a tapering form similar to the ordinary nose cap employed in shells of this type. Arranged within the casing are a series of members 6, 1, 9 and 9 which as shown are of elongated segmental form. When placed together these members form a cylinder adapted to closely fit the interior bore of the casing l and filling the same for a purpose hereinafter fully described.

The lower end of the sections 6, I, 8 and 9 are tapered as indicated at ill to form a space H on the inside of the casing to accommodate the con-' volutions of the cables connecting the sections 8, I, 8 and 9, as fully shown in Figure 1 of the drawing and hereinafter more fully described. These sections are of a length less than that of the casing l and having a chamber I2, in which a charge of explosives I3, is placed for projecting the sections from th casing at a, predetermined time, after the shell has left the gun. Within the casing above the charge of explosive I3 is a disk It upon which rests the lower tapered ends of the sections 6, I, 9 and 9 whereby they are more effectively projected from the casing l by 10 the explosive i3. 0

As heretofore stated the sections 6, I, 8 and 9 are of a segmental form and each section is provided with an end bore or opening l5, extending from the upper end a considerable distance therein and forming a chamber in which a charge of explosives I6, is placed, it being understood that each section has a similar chamber. These chambers are closed by plugs I] which carry time fuses I8, adapted to ignite the explosive charges I 6. These fuses extend out into the nose cap 5 and the nose is of a hollow form to receive an explosive [9 which is set oif by a time fuse 20, which has a timing ring 20' arranged therein in order that the-explosive l9 may be timed to explode at any predetermined time.

The sections 6, I, q and 9 are provided with cut away portions lengthwise of their inward side which are of curved form and when the four sections are assembled as shown in Figures 1 and 3, there results a central cylindrical passage 2! between the same.- This passage communicates with the space in the nose cap 5 at its upper end and the lower and communicates with the explosive containing space l2 and the passage is filled with an explosive 2| whereby the explosive I3 is ignited, as will later be more fully described.

The lower end of each of the sections 6, I,

8 and 9 is provided with a transverse round open- 40 mg 22,.extending radiallyfrom the outside and which communicates with a vertical slot 23, extending longitudinally thereof and terminating close to the extremity of the beveled ends l0. These'slots are for the reception of the ends of the two cables 24 and 25, which have secured thereto the balls 26 which enter the openings 22 and after the cables are passed into the slot a plug or plate 21 is welded or otherwise secured in the slot to hold the cables against outward movement. By this arrangement it will be seen that swivel or universal connection is made between the members 6, I, 8 and. 9 and the cables 24 and 25 so that they will not become twisted r as they unwind from around the lower ends of these members.

The cable 2% is wound directly on the lower ends of the members 6, l, 8 and 9 and these ends are mounted in the openings and slots of the two opposed members 1 and 5, as shown in Figure -1. A metal band 28 is arranged around the coiled cable 2 1 and the cable 25 is wound thereon and has its ends connected in the same manner as cable 2 1 with the other two oppositely arranged members 6 and 8. While I have shown four members 6, l, 8 and 9 there may be more or less but there would have to be an even number as there would be a chain connecting each pair.

In operation the shell is projected from an anti-aircraft gun in the usual manner and due to the rifiing of the gun the same is caused to rotate. The fuse 20 is timed by the adjustable means 2d to set off the charge l9 in the nose cap at some seconds after leaving the gun. Upon the explosion of the charge !9 the fuses l8 are ignited. At the same time the explosive in the central opening 2i burns and causes the charge 83 to explode and due to the disk 84 the sections 6, I, 8 and 9 are projected from the be seen that a shell so constructed covers a very large area and even when the sections do not have explosives therein the sections would contact with and injure a plane or the cables would become entangled in the propeller or some other vital part of the plane to cripple the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 1

.1. A. rifled projectile comprising a casing, a plurality of pairs of nested longitudinal sections in said casing and having tapering lower ends from moving outwardly through said slots and a cylindrical member surrounding the tapering lower ends of the sections for separating the windings of one of said cables from the windings of another of said cables.

2. A rifled projectile comprising an elongated casing, a plurality of pairs of nested longitudinal .sections in said casing and having tapering lower .ends, each ofsaid lower ends formed with a vertical slot and a round transverse opening com- .municating with said slot, separate cables connecting each pair of sections together, said cables being disconnected from each other and having their opposite ends pressed into said slots, and balls on said opposite ends seated in said round openings for swiveled movement, one of said cables being adapted to be wound around said tapering lower ends and bindingsaid sections together when assembled, and a tubular member surrounding said tapering lower ends and one of said cables, and the other of said cables being wound around and supported by said tubular member, said tubular member separating the windings of one of the cables from the windings of the other.

FRANK MILAVEC. 

